Finally! Finally! Finally!

[MelroseHawkins]

It is finally all coming together on offense, it seems. Tim Lester finally has his ingredients to create his recipe on offense. Iowa finally has a 3 headed threat on offense to keep defenses honest.

Iowa now is a legit threat on the outside on both sides of the field with Reece Vander Zee on one side and Tony Diaz opposite him. Those two and DJ Vonnahme can all go one-on-one which is huge and creates a dilemma for the defense. What this does is stretch the defense not just downfield but from sideline to sideline which is huge. In the past, Iowa just didn't have the guns to make the defense have to defend the entire field. These guys make this happen, finally!

In years past, defenses could stack the box to stop Iowa's run game, then blitz the QB to speed up the play or get a potential sack. This because the defense could pretty much cover Iowa's best receiver on one side of the field. In years past, the defense could slide a safety over to help defend Iowa's best target. The defenses could crunch the field to defend less of it, because of the lack of Iowa playmakers.

What will a defense do now with Vander Zee on one side, Diaz on the other and Vonnahme? This is the 3 headed monster and creates a dilemma for the defense to defend. Where is the defense going to cheat a safety over to help, or will they have to play more straight up? Tim Lester finally has his pieces. I didn't even touch on or mention Iowa having potentially one of the best RB groups in the country to throw that into the mix as a threat and to keep defenses honest.

I have usually been one to say "I have to see it to believe it" concerning Iowa's offense, and in particular WR play. This year we may FINALLY be seeing it come to fruition!

I hope so, anyway!

Go IOWA!

 

[guffus]

That's good news. Its too bad Iowa had its best OL in ages.. Last season. Buts that's college football. People move on.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

That's good news. Its too bad Iowa had its best OL in ages.. Last season. Buts that's college football. People move on.

I still think there is going to be more of a question on defense this year. I think we need to see what the D line is going to do even more than the O line, which is weird, especially after losing so many after last season.

 

[haydensly]

Good post. One thing you didn't mention is QB. I think we are going to serviceable (at least) at the QB position but I do think it will take a little time. Maybe not unlike last year with Gronowski. The tough early B1G schedule will tell us where we are at with that position.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

I actually was going to touch on that to, but post was getting bit long in the tooth. But, I was going to support what you say below. I was going to point out that because of the players and diversity Iowa now has on offense they do not need to have a savior at QB or even a later season 2025 Gronk. They could get by with a QB who just distributes the ball and not turn it over. The proverbial "game manager". It's nice to have a QB with a skillset of running and toughness as Gronk but with Vander Zee being and staying healthy, along with now Diaz & Vonn, it makes me more confident either Heck or Brown can succeed and do their job.

Good post. One thing you didn't mention is QB. I think we are going to serviceable (at least) at the QB position but I do think it will take a little time. Maybe not unlike last year with Gronowski. The tough early B1G schedule will tell us where we are at with that position.

 

[Hawkfnntn]

Yup yup. The TE room is deep. Just need a 3rd WR to step up too. They have some different options. The RB room is beyond stacked if they can all stay healthy. Lester has everything an OC should want so the excuses are few and far between.

Anyone going to the spring practice?

 

[MelroseHawkins]

Lester came into a mess when he was hired. The QB room was a mess coming off a season with Deacon Hill. The O-line was not playing up to their usual standard and admittingly had some injuries were dealing with, and the WR room was a complete mess as well. He had some work to do these past years.

 

[Hawkfnntn]

Lester came into a mess when he was hired. The QB room was a mess coming off a season with Deacon Hill. The O-line was not playing up to their usual standard and admittingly had some injuries were dealing with, and the WR room was a complete mess as well. He had some work to do these past years.

Amen... Might be the biggest understatement of a football take one could have on this board. Lester has completely flipped the O. I just wish the whole Cade McNamara thing didn't happen. Who woulda we went after instead if we woulda just ignored him? Do we blame Budmayr for most of that? I know he's why Deacon Hill ended up a Hawk too. Budmayr still being around is probably my biggest nitpick with what's going on now. I've had enough of him

 

[BuiltLikeWilt]

I saw Diaz is banged up wont be playing saturday , but from all sources he's the real deal .

 

[MelroseHawkins]

Amen... Might be the biggest understatement of a football take one could have on this board. Lester has completely flipped the O. I just wish the whole Cade McNamara thing didn't happen. Who woulda we went after instead if we woulda just ignored him? Do we blame Budmayr for most of that? I know he's why Deacon Hill ended up a Hawk too. Budmayr still being around is probably my biggest nitpick with what's going on now. I've had enough of him

He admittingly has made some bad calls and I was questioning him as well. But, he seems to be doing well with the O-line and building that unit now, winning the Joe Moore award last season. Players seem to buy in to him and like the guy. So, I dunno. Good there but yea the McNamara calls and Hill are some questionable decisions.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

I saw Diaz is banged up wont be playing saturday , but from all sources he's the real deal .

Correct. There are always a couple of those players every spring practice day they hold out. Precautionary.

 

[Hawkfnntn]

He admittingly has made some bad calls and I was questioning him as well. But, he seems to be doing well with the O-line and building that unit now, winning the Joe Moore award last season. Players seem to buy in to him and like the guy. So, I dunno. Good there but yea the McNamara calls and Hill are some questionable decisions.

Budmayr is the WR coach now and was an analyst back then I think. You're thinking of Barnett. Who I like you had my reservations about early on especially after losing on Proctor. I thought he had something to do with that back then.

But the last couple yrs he's gotten his guys to be heathier and play damn well. He's gonna have 3 dudes drafted this weekend so yeah I have no complaints about Barnett anymore.

 

[Hawkfnntn]

Budmayr is the WR coach now and was an analyst back then I think. You're thinking of Barnett. Who I like you had my reservations about early on especially after losing on Proctor. I thought he had something to do with that back then.

But the last couple yrs he's gotten his guys to be heathier and play damn well. He's gonna have 3 dudes drafted this weekend so yeah I have no complaints about Barnett anymore.

BTW I think Budmayr being around is a KF thing not a Lester thing so much. In fact I think Budmayr may be a BF thing as much as anything and KF has kept him around for only God knows what reasons.

 

[Fryowa]

Depends 99% on the QB. And we have seen zero meaningful snaps form any of the QBs on this roster. Cannot make a single prediction on this team until we see that.

 

[haydensly]

Yup yup. The TE room is deep. Just need a 3rd WR to step up too. They have some different options. The RB room is beyond stacked if they can all stay healthy. Lester has everything an OC should want so the excuses are few and far between.

Anyone going to the spring practice?

I will most likely be there. I'll try to take some mental notes and share afterwards.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

Budmayr is the WR coach now and was an analyst back then I think. You're thinking of Barnett. Who I like you had my reservations about early on especially after losing on Proctor. I thought he had something to do with that back then.

But the last couple yrs he's gotten his guys to be heathier and play damn well. He's gonna have 3 dudes drafted this weekend so yeah I have no complaints about Barnett anymore.

Oh yes, Cripes!! My bad. Yea, Budmayr can go pound sand.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

BTW I think Budmayr being around is a KF thing not a Lester thing so much. In fact I think Budmayr may be a BF thing as much as anything and KF has kept him around for only God knows what reasons.

I agree. He was here before Lester arrived.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

Depends 99% on the QB. And we have seen zero meaningful snaps form any of the QBs on this roster. Cannot make a single prediction on this team until we see that.

No it doesn't. Iowa has proven in the past to be able to pound out wins with a game manager. Not my total choice, but Iowa has been elite at D, special teams which can provide that cushion.

Yes, the QB is important but with Iowa's style I don't think it's 99%.

 

[BuiltLikeWilt]

I'll be glad to have improved QB WR play it will only help. But i love it when we line up and the other team knows were gonna run zone left , the fans know were going to run zone left, the announcers know were going to run zone left....... and we do it to perfection everybody hits thier block ,execution is perfect....thats Iowa football Doesn't matter what they do we execute !! pure art !! lol passing game will make it even easier and open this up for our grind !! (haven't had that for 8 years or so )

 

[MelroseHawkins]

I'll be glad to have improved QB WR play it will only help. But i love it when we line up and the other team knows were gonna run zone left , the fans know were going to run zone left, the announcers know were going to run zone left....... and we do it to perfection everybody hits thier block ,execution is perfect....thats Iowa football Doesn't matter what they do we execute !! pure art !! lol passing game will make it even easier and open this up for our grind !! (haven't had that for 8 years or so )

The key is and the whole point of this post is that defenses now just can't key on one area or pin their ears back and blitz.

Years past, defenses started to do the same thing with Iowa. Teams would show blitz which would force Iowa's QB's to check off to a predictable play. So, Iowa didn't have the playmakers to alleviate this strategy and at the same time, teams were cutting down Iowa's playbook to a handful of plays with what they were seeing pre-snap and cutting down the field.

The diversity not only opens up the field more, it also opens up the playbook if the D can't force you into a check off play and they can't pin their ears back and blitz when they want to. That will keep less pressure off the Iowa QB and provide more time. This should benefit the productivity.